Recent Advances in the Development of Metal-Glycoconjugates for Medicinal Applications

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Oncology
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Rapidly proliferating tumor cells have high energy demands, relying heavily on glucose.
• Cancer cells overexpress glucose transporters (GLUTs) to enhance glucose uptake.
• The Warburg effect, or aerobic glycolysis, is prevalent in tumors, even with oxygen present.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize advancements in metal-based glycoconjugates for medicinal applications since 2015.
• To discuss the potential of glucose-mimicking substrates for tumor-specific drug delivery.
• To explore new applications of glycosylated metal scaffolds beyond cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on metal-based glycoconjugates.
• Critical discussion of design strategies and therapeutic outcomes.
• Focus on discoveries published after the previous 2015 review.

Main Results:

• Metal-based glycoconjugates show promise for targeted cancer therapy by exploiting enhanced glucose uptake.
• Glycosylation of metal scaffolds is being explored for tumor imaging, antiviral, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and anti-neurodegenerative agents.
• Significant progress has been made in designing these conjugates for diverse medicinal applications.

Conclusions:

• Metal-based glycoconjugates represent a promising strategy for targeted drug delivery and therapeutic interventions.
• The versatility of these compounds extends to various medical fields, highlighting their broad potential.
• Continued research in this area is crucial for developing novel treatments and diagnostic tools.